Device for rationining cigarettes



Jan. 14, 1958 P. R. HATCH 2,819,814

DEVICE FOR RATIONING CIGARETTES Filed Jan. 18, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTORS- pa u/ l?- //a z/e/b ,ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 14, 1958 P. R. HATCH 2,819,814

DEVICE FOR RATIONING CIGARETTES Filed Jan. 18, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INV EN TORS. Paza/ 7?. Hazch,

' ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent DEVICE FOR RATIONING CIGARETTES Paul R. Hatch,Barrington, R. I.

Application January 18, 1955, Serial No. 482,526

8 Claims. (Cl. 22183) This invention relates to a device for rationingcigarettes.

Cigarettes are furnished in packages of twenty and are usually carriedabout in the pocket or may be placed in a convenient container on atable, desk, or the like and in such arrangement are very easilyobtainable by a person desiring to smoke one. Habitual smokers ofcigarettes find it difi'icult to refrain from obtaining and smoking acigarette and frequently feel that if some little restraint were placedupon them, they could more easily cut down the number of cigaretteswhich they smoke.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a device which,although making cigarettes available, makes these cigarettes availableonly at certain predetermined times spaced by such interval as may bedesired.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device which willpresent to the user a cigarette which when obtained from the device willmechanically start the device so that only after a predetermined lengthof time will another cigarette become available to the user. Thus, bythe use of the device the number of cigarettes may be predetermined thatwill be used in a given period of time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device which may beeasily loaded and easily operated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device which will besimple in its construction and thus inexpen sive to manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device which will be ofsmall dimensions and which may be easily placed upon a table, desk, Orarticle of furniture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction as will be more fully described andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional view showing the cigarette rationing deviceequipped with this invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of an enlarged fragmental detail of aportion of the device;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of an enlarged fragmental detail of anotherportion of the device;

Figure 4 is a sectional view on substantially line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the zig-zag sectional line of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a sectional view on line 66 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view of the electric circuit which is used.

In proceeding with this invention, I have provided a rotary carrierwhich revolves within a cylindrical casing, the carrier having spaceddisks with notches of a size to receive a cigarette, there beingsuflicient of said notches to receive a package of cigarettes, which atthe present time is usually twenty. The cylindrical casing has anopening at such a location that when the cigarette reaches this opening,it will roll from the carrier along a chute which supports the same in aposition accessible to the user. Some sort of electrical motor or clockmechanism 2,819,814 Patented Jan. 14, 1958 is utilized for rotating thecarrier, and in the circuit of the electrical energizing means for themotor I provide a switch which when opposite a certain portion of thecarrier, will be open and when opposite a certain other portion of thecarrier, will be closed. I also provide a cover for the chute which isso arranged that the cover must be lifted in order to obtain thecigarette from the chute. The arrangement is such that by lifting thecover, the carrier is mechanically moved forward and an end of the coverwhich projects into engagement with the carrier so that by this rotationthe switch is moved from open to closed position and the motor drive isagain energized for moving the carrier of a revolution to presentanother cigarette to the chute. The motor travels at such timed relationthat the interval is as desired, for instance, a half hour, an hour, orwhatever is prearranged. Change gears may be utilized for obtaining thedesired interval.

With reference to the drawings, I have provided a cylindrical casing 10which is mounted within a shell 11 having a top wall 12 and bottom wall13, the mounting being by means of a front end wall 14 and a back endwall 15 into which the cylindrical casing is positioned. This casing 10is offset outwardly at one end and closed at the shoulder formed by theoffset by a wall 16 having a bearing 17 which supports the shaft 18 ofan electric clockwork mechanism 19 which contains a motor and suitablegears for rotating the shaft 18. A cover 20 encloses this mechanism 19and serves to provide a housing therefor. The motor is in an electriccircuit through the wires 21, which extends to a switch to behereinafter referred to.

At the opposite end of the casing 10 a support in the form of a spider22 (see Figure 5) is provided which comprises a pair of cross members 23and 24 forming a hub 25 at their center and bearing 26 for a shaft 27 torotate therein. This shaft is enlarged as at 28 and receives shaft 18 ina socket 29 at the end opposite the end entering the hub 25. The carrierfor the cigarettes is designated generally 30 (Figure 4) and comprises ahub 31 which is rotatably mounted upon the portion 28 of the shaft andhas a lost motion connection thereto by reason of the notch 32 in itsend and a pin 33 extending from the shaft 28 into this notch for drivingthe same. A pair of disks 34, 34 are fixed adjacent opposite ends of thehub 31, and each of these disks 34 is provided with twenty notches 35forming arms 36 between the notches, and each notch is of a depth so asto receive a cigarette 37 in the notch. The notches of the disks are inregister so that the notches align and a cigarette in position in thenotch will maintainits axis parallel to the axis of the shaft 28. Thedepth of the notches will be such that the cigarette will fit within thenotch and just clear the cylindrical casing 10. The cigarette when belowthe horizontal center of the shaft 28 will rest against the casing andbe retained in the notch thereby, while when the cigarette is above thecenter of the axis of the shaft, it will rest at the edge of the diskwithin the notch.

The wall 16 is substantially in a single plane but has small ribs 38extending radially therealong which serve to stifien the same. At theopposite end of the casing lit a cover designated generally 40 isprovided, which cornprises transparent material which may be of a moldedplastic if desired. This cover has a wall 41 which is deflected as at 42so as to receive the hub 25. It is also provided with a recess 43 so asto receive the arms 23 and 24 of the spider. Adjacent this recess inorder that the wall may be sufliciently stiff and rigid, the wall isthickened at at 44 so as to provide a handle for removing the cover.From the generally flat wall 41 there flares outwardly the wall portions45 which then extend radially outwardly as at 46 and are turnedbackwardly upon themselves as at 47 to extend along and frictionallyengage the outer surface of the casing 10 and provide a recess 43 forthe reception of the end of the casing therein. By removing this coverby forcefully pulling it from the end of the casing, the carrier isexposed so that cigarettes 37 may be loaded endwise into the carrier totill the same.

An opening 50 is provided in the cylindrical casing 10 at a point justbelow the center of the horizontal axis through the shaft 28, and thereextends from the casing 10 at the lower edge of this opening 50 a chute51 which has an upturned lip 52 at its outer edge. The edge 53 of thenotch 35 will be on a downwardly inclined angle and substantially thesame angle as the angle of the chute 51 with reference to the horizontalwhen in registry with the opening 50, the angle being such that acigarette will easily slide along this surface by gravity at thelocation opposite the chute. Thus, when a cigarette in the carrierarrives opposite the opening 50, it will roll out of the carrier andinto the chute. A member 54 serving as a cover over the cigarette is oflever-like construction pivoted as at 55 with a portion 56 extendinginwardly through the opening 50 in the casing 10 and at such locationthat this portion 56 when swung about the pivot will engage an arm 36 ofthe carrier and thus will mechanically move the carrier rotatively inthe direction in which it was traveling. The lost motion above mentionedwill be sufficient to permit of such movement without turning shaft 18.

A normally closed switch 60 is provided adjacent the casing 10, theswitch being of the microswitch type which.

comprises a plunger 61 which when pressed inwardly will open thecontacts of the switch to open the circuit but when moved outwardlyunder spring action will close the contacts to close the electriccircuit formed by the wires 62 and 63. As seen in Figure 7, wire 62extends to one contact of plug 65, while Wire 66 through motor 67 andwire 63 completes the electric circuit. A switch arm 64 (Figure 3)having inherent spring tendency to move upwardly is located above theplunger 61 and will move into the space 35 between the arms 36 so as toclose the circuit. By this arrangement when the carrier is rotated tothe position shown in Figure 1, the circuit is open, but when thecarrier is in the position so that the arm 64 will extend into the notch35 as in Figure 3, the switch is closed. When the device arrives at theposition shown in Figure 1, it will automatically stop because the arm36 will have moved the switch to open position. However, when acigarette is taken from the trough by the swinging of the member 54, thecarrier will be moved from the position shown in Figure 1 to theposition shown in Figure 3 by the action shown in Figure 2, thus closingthe circuit and setting the device again in operation so that anothercigarette will be presented in the given interval of time.

I claim:

1. In a cigarette rationing device, a rotary carrier, means including anelectric circuit to rotate said carrier, :1 switch in said circuitengaged by said carrier during the movement thereof to open said circuitand stop the carrier, and manual means movable into engagement with 4said cover for moving the same to switch to close the said circuit.

2. In a cigarette rationing device as in claim 1 wherein means areprovided for discharging a cigarette and said manual means are actuatedin obtaining the discharged cigarette.

3. In a cigarette rationing device, a rotary carrier having arms betweenwhich cigarettes are lodged, an electric motor for rotating saidcarrier, an electric circuit for energizing said motor, a switch forcontrolling said circuit, said switch being located to be opened by eacharm of said carrier when the arm is opposite the switch and closed whenopposite the space between said arms, a discharge chute for receiving acigarette from the carrier, a member covering said chute and liftable toobtain a cigarette from said chute, said member having a portionengageable with an arm of the carrier when lifted to advance the carriersufiiciently to cause an arm engaging the switch to disengage the sameand permit the switch to move into the space between said arms.

4. In a cigarette rationing device, a casing, a support carried by thecasing at one end thereof and having radial arms extending centrallytherefrom, a carrier rotatably mounted in said support, a removable endwall for said casing recessed to receive the said arms and providingtherewith a surface in substantially a single plane against which theends of cigarettes may engage in being rotated by said carrier.

5. In a cigarette rationing device as in claim 4 wherein said end wallis transparent.

6. In a cigarette rationing device, a rotary carrier, means including anelectric circuit to rotate said carrier, said carrier having a pluralityof spaced radial arms, a switch in said circuit engaged by one of saidarms during disengage with said the rotation of said carrier to movesaid switch to open position and stop said carrier, and manuallyoperable means movable into engagement with another of said arms forrotating said carrier to disengage the said one arm with said switch toclose said circuit.

7. In a cigarette rationing device according to claim 6 wherein saidmanually operable means is a pivoted lever.

8. In a cigarette rationing device according to claim 6 wherein saidcarrier has a plurality of notches for receiving the cigarettes and saidarms are interposed between adjacent notches.

References Cited in the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 471,053Henry Mar. 15, 1892 580,736 Smith Apr. 13, 1 897 1,355,488 McKenney Oct.12, 1 920 1,693,086 Laird Nov. 27, 1928 1,917,563 Werner July 11, 19331,991,258 Pfiaging Feb. 12, 1935 2,028,787 Lane Jan. 28, 193 2,058,637Scott Oct. 27, 1 936 2,182,955 Allen Dec. 12,1939 2,474,168 Sacher June21, 1 949 2,681,560 Shuttleworth June 22, 195.4

